A Promise Is A Promise
by Angelpants
Summary: It's Aerith's Birthday, but even on one of the most happiest days of her life, she can't get her mind off that Spiky blonde.


Aerith sat at a brightly coloured table with people busily moving around her, either passing her new presents or checking she

**This is a story for a good friend of mine. It was her birthday a few days ago, and this is her present :D**

**She's like, the biggest Cleris fan I know, so. Trala, my first Cleris fic :D All for you Nadia :D**

XXX

Aerith sat at a brightly coloured table with people busily moving around her, either passing her new presents or checking she was okay and having a good time. Aerith just sat with a blissful smile on her face, answering every question put at her with 'Yes, very much so. Thank you', though she was really trying to hide the worry gnawing inside of her.

Squall and Yuffie had called all of Radiant Garden together for Aerith's birthday party.

They had been planning the party for months because Aerith had been so down and they wanted to cheer her up. For the first hour of the party, they had all crammed into Merlin's small home.

Then soon after that hour was up, Merlin proclaimed he could extend his house with magic. It was an understatement to say the rest of the ex-restoration comity was angry.

Cid was about to break his promise, and magically conjure a long forgotten cigarette, then shove the lit butt onto Merlin's forehead.

Yuffie was going to pull her Shurikin out and show Merlin all the uncomfortable places it would fit.

And Squall, well, he'd probably seethe in the corner somewhere.

There was a band playing that Aerith had never heard of and food that Aeris had never tried.

They had gone to so such trouble, Aerith knew they had, and she couldn't even enjoy it a little.

"A-Aerith" Yuffie stuttered. Aerith smiled before noticing her friend's ill condition.

When had there been alcohol? "Co-com' On 'nd danse" Yuffie spoke, the alcohol causing her tone and demeanour to drop.

"Does Squall know you're drunk?" Aerith questioned.

"Oooh. Squ'l-", Yuffie raised her hand, then stopped to look at it for a while, before finally continuing. "Squ'l's sush ah bore. 'E wouln't ev'n be any fun if 'e drank 'en 'ou'and 'ups a vodka," Yuffie explained, her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.

"I guess that's a no" Aerith sighed. "What about Cid?" Yuffie giggled before pointing to a slumped figure in the corner of the room. Between sips of an unknown drink he was taking long puffs of a cigarette.

"'E's drun'er dan me," Yuffie giggled. "T'inks 'e's a bloody pirate."

Aeris placed her forehead in her hands and sighed.

"You sit down here" Aerith grabbed Yuffie by the shoulders and sat her next to Cid. "I'll be right back."

Once Aerith's presence was gone, Cid's head slowly turned to Yuffie. He raised one eyebrow and a goofy smile fixed on his face.

"How you doing?" he asked, Yuffie simply replied by laughing stupidly.

"Squall?" Aerith called as she pushed her way through the crowds of people. "Squall?" she shouted even louder. Though her pleas were only rewarded with harsh bumps. Aerith stopped.

It was her birthday! Right?

So she shouldn't be pushed around and looking after drunk people.

Aerith nodded before being hit with a huge wave of guilt.

Cid and Yuffie were her friends. She couldn't leave them. Not in their condition.

And they had worked so hard to get everything planned. She couldn't run out.

Aerith sighed.

She would go outside for a while and get some fresh air. Her head was killing her.

Maybe it was the smoke.

Wait. When was there smoking?

'_Probably the same time as when alcohol was brought in'_ Aerith shrugged.

There was well over one hundred people there, she couldn't tell them all to stop smoking or drinking.

Even if it was making breathing difficult.

Aerith once again attempted to push through the mass of people, but her weak arms seemed to be of no use.

"Naw, in honour of Ms Aerith's birthday, for de next ten minutes, drinks are on de hause" a voice boomed around the room, filling the ears of every party goer.

Aerith looked up the see a slightly more sober Cid, with his arm wrapped around Yuffie's waist.

Aerith giggled for the first time, knowing Squall would hold their drunken antics over their heads for as long as they lived.

Though, Aerith wasn't able to indulge in this thought for much longer. She soon found herself being carried by a sea of people towards the, now free, bar.

As the human sea finally stopped Aerith was able to slowly push her way to the door.

Once she was across the threshold she gulped back in the clean air lovingly.

She stopped for a moment, trying to let her mind catch up with her, but to no avail, Aerith soon found herself walking away from the party, her feet apparently not connecting with her head.

She walked past the Bailey and through small paths before finding herself in a wide, concrete valley.

Her eyes moved tenderly over detail. Trying to take everything in. Trying to remember him.

His voice.

His face.

"Cloud" she whispered under her breath.

'_Aerith' _her mind replied. His voice fainter in her mind. She was beginning to forget him.

'Aerith' 'Aerith' 'Aerith. Are you alright?'

She closed her eyes. Trying to remember everything about him.

His eyes.

His hair.

His smell.

The way he got a single kink at the back of his hair after sleeping.

The way he ate his food.

The things he liked.

The things he didn't.

He liked flowers, but not stems.

He liked wasps, but not bees.

He liked pink, but not red.

She giggled.

She missed him.

So very much.

Aerith opened her eyes as she felt something warm run down her cheek.

She looked around, but nothing was there.

And when she put her hand to her cheek, she realised.

She had been crying.

"Aerith? Are you crying?"

Aerith mentally shushed her mind.

It had already done enough damage.

"Has someone hurt you?"

Aerith's face wrinkled as she started to become angry.

"Look. You be quiet. You've already done enough damage" Aerith yelled aloud.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't know you felt that way."

"Well I do!"

Aerith crossed her arms. "I'm already upset about Cloud. You making up his voice isn't helping!"

"…"

"Well? Have you stopped now?"

"…"

"Good."

Aerith dropped her arms. Quickly she wiped her eyes, but just as she would about to turn around to go back to her party, she felt two strong arms embrace her.

"Ahhh" she squealed.

"…"

Aerith stopped as she noticed something.

Her fear and sadness both melted away at once.

She slowly sniffed again.

There was an odd smell in the air.

It was a mixture of oil and soap.

"Cloud?" Aerith whispered again.

"I'm sorry. I made you angry."

Aerith opened her mouth to protest but stopped when she felt Cloud pull apart.

Quickly she turned around.

She looked at him.

Her eyes unwavering.

Cloud knew he had done something wrong. But couldn't place what.

The next thing Cloud knew, he was on the floor with Aerith lying on top of him.

"Where did you get that strength? Even Tifa can't push me down that easily" Aerith raised an eyebrow at him before lightly hitting him on the shoulder.

"You go off for over a month and then I only get a twenty second hug?"

"You were counting?"

"…"

"You were!"

"That's not the point" Aerith protested as she began to laugh.

Slowly she rested her head on Cloud's chest. Still laughing.

From the rises in his chest, Aerith knew he was too.

Silence.

"You came back."

"I did promise after all."

"Did you find your light?" Aerith asked, rising her head. Cloud was silent for a moment before rolling over, trapping Aerith underneath his body.

"She was here all along."

Before Aerith could even ask any more into his response. Cloud's lips were on hers, answering any questions that were lingering in her mind.

He was back.

And they were together.

This was Aerith's best birthday yet.

XXX

**-Smiles- **

**Ahh. What fun making Yuffie and Cid drunk (No. I don't pair them… that's… odd xD), but what fun it was :D**

**Well I hope you like :D**

**I liked writing it :D**

**Long live Cleris!**

**Just Me? ;)**


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